Adding more zinc to your diet with the right food or supplements can have a number of beneficial effects on your health. Zinc is necessary for the activity of more than 300 enzymes which aid in metabolism, nerve function, digestion, and other processes. It’s also crucial for immune function, skin health, and DNA synthesis.
Some of the biggest benefits of increasing your zinc intake (to the correct amounts), include:
- Improved immunity: Zinc helps keep your immune system strong, improves immune cell function, and stimulates various immune cells. Zinc supplements can significantly reduce the risk of infections and promote better immune response in adults.
- Wound healing: Zinc is often used in hospital environments when treating a range of skin injuries, like burns and certain ulcers. This is because the mineral plays an important role in inflammatory response and collagen synthesis, facilitating better healing.
- Reduced age-related diseases: Some studies indicate zinc may be able to reduce your risk of age-related issues like macular degeneration, pneumonia, and similar problems.
Zinc can relieve oxidative stress and improve immune response to protect you from infection, and even help you avoid more severe illnesses as you get older. - Curing acne: Acne is one of the most common skin diseases in the world, driven by the obstruction of crucial oil-producing glands in the skin. Studies indicate that topical and oral zinc treatments offer an effective way of reducing inflammation and minimizing acne development.
- Reduced inflammation: Zinc plays an important role in decreasing oxidative stress, and it can also reduce various levels of inflammatory proteins in the body. Oxidative stress can lead to chronic inflammation, a contributing factor in various illnesses, including heart disease and mental decline too.
- Managing blood sugar: People with diabetes are often at higher risk of zinc deficiencies. In some reports, zinc has been found to help with blood sugar control and maintaining healthy lipid parameters in people with diabetes.
Your doctor may recommend taking zinc supplements if you have diabetes, or to help improve insulin sensitivity if you’re dealing with obesity. - Healthy heart: Various studies have indicated supplementing with zinc might support a healthy heart. Zinc can assist in lowering your total cholesterol levels and your bad cholesterol levels, protecting you from high levels of blood pressure.
While more research is needed, a zinc supplement could be good for protecting against heart conditions. - Sexual health: Low zinc levels have been shown to lead to issues like fertility problems and delayed sexual development. As a result, some researchers believe taking zinc supplements might be a useful way to improve hormone balance and enhance overall sexual health.
Do You Need a Zinc Supplement?
One thing to keep in mind if you’re considering taking a zinc supplement, is that not everyone will need one. Genuine zinc deficiencies are quite rare because there are a lot of foods naturally high in zinc.
For instance, meats like beef and pork, as well as fish, poultry, and countless dairy products are high in zinc. You can also find this substance in shellfish, legumes, needs and seeds, eggs and whole grains. Even some vegetables have high amounts of zinc.
If you’re concerned about your zinc levels, you might be better-off changing your diet before you consider a supplement.
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